Southern / Alabama

Tennis Daze Festival promotes HBCUs

Sean Merchant | July 21, 2022


The 2022 Memorial Day Weekend in Birmingham featured the first-time “Tennis Daze” event as part of the HBCU SpringComing, a festival started in 2015 in New York City with a mission of preserving the legacy of the Black college experience while promoting support of Historically Black Colleges & Universities through alumni involvement. Founded by Lauren Grant Grove and George Peters II, HBCU Alumni of Florida A&M University and Morehouse College respectively, the goal is to increase financial contributions towards scholarships supporting HBCU students while celebrating the unique atmosphere that their homecomings create.

 

“Tennis Daze” was hosted by USTA Southern and the James Lewis Education & Tennis Foundation at the George Ward Tennis Center. It included beginner tennis lessons, a celebrity tennis match with Judge Michael Streety and Art Franklin, a junior clinic by NCAA Champion Whitney McCray, community group ‘Brother Let’s Talk,’ DJ CJ the Sticman, a dance contest, and swag bags for all participants. 

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“Tennis Daze” event was a part of the HBCU SpringComing, a festival started in 2015 in New York City with a mission of preserving the legacy of HBCUs.

USTA Southern Director of Diversity, NJTL & Grants, Cee Jai Jones stated, “The history of tennis in HBCUs goes all the way back to the 1890s with Tuskegee University in Alabama. Over half of all HBCUs are located in our section, so Southern was adamant about participating in ‘Tennis Daze.’ We are also proud to support the local community and state tennis association in growing tennis participation among HBCU alumni and families through this event.”

 

Part 2 of the “Tennis Daze” event was held at the “Yard” in the Railroad Park’s Meadows across from Regions Field which simultaneously hosted the SWAC Baseball Championship. It featured mini tennis for kids, a variety of booths, music, games, and a scholarship presentation to the Birmingham Promise students attending HBCUs in the fall.

 

For more information on tennis in Birmingham, contact Rudy Lewis at tenniszyx@aol.com  

For more information on the HBCU SpringComing visit www.hbcuspringcoming.com.

 

Please see the USTA Southern Tennis Daze video at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1trf0kguqT6mIrxDNI7wMY-Xg0KJVKlvS/view?usp=sharing

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